The lives of
great men are the best teachers of humanity. It is a misfortune that the
present day younger generation knows so little about the stalwarts of
yore. Plutarch was right when he said, “To be ignorant of the lives of the
most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood
all our days.”

Jivanji the ManHe was born on 26th October 1854. He married at the age
of 11. He was the father of eleven children – five sons and six daughters.

Jivanji had been brought up in the midst of a
religious atmosphere of a fire temple – an agiary. His father Ervad
Jamshedji Jivanji Modi (1807-1871) was the first panthaki of Seth
Jejeebhoy Dadabhoy Agiary at Colaba from 1836 to 1871. Ervad Dr. Sir
Jivanji Modi served as a panthaky of Seth Jejeebhoy Dadabhoy Agiary from
1871 to 1910 for nearly forty years.

He grew up as a simple, straightforward
innocent man. Science was first love. He was a wonderful disciple of the
famous oriental scholar Kharshedji Cama. It was Kharshedji Rustomji Cama
who made him take up Iranian Studies as his second love. He was an all
rounder, a genius. He had two loves – nature and books.

Jivanji’s principle was simple living and high
thinking. He was an unassuming soul. He took to the path of knowledge as a
mission. Though he achieved universal fame, he was humble. He remained a
student and a researcher all his life. His scholarship encompassed the
whole canvas of life.

He was a preacher par excellence. He led an
exemplary life. He lived in the world but did not become of the world. He
practiced simple living and high thinking. He lived according to the
teachings of prophet Zarathushtra and spread happiness by serving
humanity.

He served as Secretary of the Bombay Parsi
Panchayet for 37 years managing estates and funds valued at crores of
rupees.

Jivanji as an author and oratorHe cultivated his talents for writing and elocution. He had a
facile pen and clear expression. Despite being a savant, his language was
simple and easily understood by lovers of literature as also those seeking
knowledge. He was a prolific writer. It is said that he would not sit down
and write but wrote on blank sheets kept on a high stand or scribbling
block. He wrote 70 books – 20 in English, 3 in French, 41 in Gujarati and
6 Memorial Volumes. He also wrote innumerable essay, articles and research
papers on a wide variety of diverse subjects ranging from anthropology,
geography, history, meteorology, nature, wine and Zoroastrianism. The
spirit in which he approached all questions was that of a humble and
ardent student. A deep tone of piety and reverence marked all his thoughts
and words and writings.

His most notable contribution to Oriental
scholarship was 127 papers read before the Bombay Branch of the Royal
Asiatic Society and Anthropological Society of Bombay. His life and his
writings will continue to inspire scholars and fellow men.

Litteris et Artibus:
Gold Medal from Sweden

He was an erudite public speaker. He had
delivered over 350 lectures within a span of 45 years i.e. between 1888
and 1933. He had a fund of courage and patience to acquire knowledge and
to present it appropriately. He kept himself occupied every moment of his
life to achieve something for the good of the people.

A world travelerIn 1889 he had visited Europe, America, Burma, Vietnam, China and
Japan. In 1907 he visited Vyara Songadh along with scholars Ervad Edulji
K. Antia and Pallonji B. Desai. In the same year i.e. at the age of 53 he
traveled on foot walking from Navsari to Surat (20 miles) and from Navsari
to Gandevi. In 1925 at the age of 71 he visited Egypt, England, Scotland,
France, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Russia and Iraq. He was the
first Parsi priest to have visited England and Sir George Birdwood
considered it a great event when Jivanji dined with him at his house. G.
Natesan, author of the book “Famous Parsees” published at Madras in
1930 writes: “Few hard-working travellers would have been at pains of
visiting out of the way places and remote nooks and corners as Jivanji did
to gather together the scattered threads of history and to unravel the
tangled skeins of literary controversies. Everything he saw gave him fresh
food for reflection, every person he met, and every place he visited he
subjected to his scholarly scrutiny and in that way from day to day his
knowledge grew. Such unwearing energy, such immersion in work even during
holiday tours, such moral earnestness and such extraordinary versatility
of his scholarly tastes and output as was evident in his lectures and
addresses filled his friends in Europe and other parts of the world with
admiration.”

He took up the suggestion of Miss Mennant and
persevered in erecting a Memorial Column at Sanjan to commemorate the
landing of our ancestors at Sanjan nearly a thousand years ago. He was the
moving spirit behind the erection of the Memorial Column (Stambh) at
Sanjan on 15th February 1920.

A special Convocation of the Bombay University
was held on 17th August 1931 when Sir Ernest Hotson, the
Governor as Chancellor of the University conferred the Doctor of Laws
(LL.D.) honorary degree on the following: The Right Hon’ble Sir Dinshaw
Fardunji Mulla, Sir C. V. Raman, Sir M. Visveswarayya and Sir Jivanji
Jamshedji Modi. Sir D. F. Mulla and Sir Jivanji Modi were the first two
Parsis to receive this honour.

Certificate from Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy
Madrase

The
Chancellor said about Sir Jivanji Modi, “In coming to Sir Jivanji Modi, I
turn with much pleasure to an old friend of my own, one who has been for
nearly half a century, the mainstay of both the Bombay Branch of the Royal
Asiatic Society and the Bombay Anthropological Society, not to mention
other learned societies in Bombay. He has long been world famous as a
scholar of the Sanskrit, Persian and above all, Avesta tongues, and he is
unquestionably the greatest living authority on the ancient history and
customs of the Parsis. I doubt if any other Indian scholar can have
obtained so many marks of recognition from learned bodies in all parts of
the world: few indeed can have traveled so widely or have such a wide
circle of acquaintances as our Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and
certainly can have equalled Sir Jivanji’s immense output of learned papers
and publications. The honour of knighthood which he recently received was
a fitting recognition of a long life wholly devoted to the serve of human
knowledge, and this city, which has been the home of his activities for 77
years, will welcome his accession today to the highest honour at the
disposal of his own University.”

He spent his life delivering useful lectures
on religion, history, philosophy, morals and science, spreading knowledge
and also writing books in Gujarati, English and French languages. He
believed in R. Hall’s words: “Seldom ever knowledge was given to keep but
to impart. The grace of the rich jewel is lost on concealment.” He was
very fond of traveling. He wrote and published an account of his travels.
He was a great walker and cyclist. He rendered assistance to scholars. He
was a useful, noble gentleman who brought glory to his community. He led a
true Zoroastrian life and possessed all virtues desired in a religious
leader. His simplicity was an inspiration to all Zoroastrians.

One of his admirers truly said: “How many
souls must have felt refreshed and enlarged by his priestly ministrations
and sermons! Every lover of that religion owes him a deep debt of
gratitude for the zeal and devotion with which he carried out his noble
and ennobling work.”

Like the sun emerging from the clouds he
came
To spread the light of knowledge – he fulfilled his aim.

He passed away at the age of 78 on 28th
March 1933.

To modern man who often complains of not
having enough time, Sir Jivanji’s illustrious and noble life is a shining
example of how one man in one life can find the time to pursue his
interests and also render public service.